I found this picture on the internet and was captivated by it. I really admire digital art and have spent some time cruising the net discovering many very thought-provoking works by many very talented artists. This particular one has really captivated me. I wonder if it is because it represents something very precious.
We are a family full of readers. As children, we were privileged to spend countless hours unrestrained in the Amarillo Public Library. It was a special treat to spend Saturday morning alone in the library while Auntie worked. For me, it was an opportunity to discover many different kinds of literature. I was literally an elementary aged girl cruising unrestrained through the bookshelves picking first one and then another. I discovered the world of history, mystery, maps, architecture, and my most beloved genre, speculative non-fiction.
I am drawn to people's opinions, conclusions, and thoughts. I just love a book with lots of underlining and margin notes. I am fascinated with ancient cultures and their religious myths. I love to read.
So, I want to hear from you other readers. Just what are you reading now... are you enjoying it? What is one book that you would recommend to us all and why is it so fascinating...
I am currently reading "Transpersonal Medicine, A New Approach to Healing Body-Mind- Spirit" by G. Frank Lawlis. I am not sure how I feel about it yet, but am enjoying Dr. Lawlis's search for the divine and the role of ritual in our lives.
Before that I read "The Book Thief" and "Jesus the Christ" (which I have read so many times I have lost count).
Let me hear from you. I am sure that together we have read enough books to fill these shelves.
I love you all.....
4 comments:
I have always said that some of my best friends are books. As a girl growing up I always had a book in hand. literally) I learned to do almost everything with one hand so that I could hold a book in the other. I made my bed while reading, I brushed my teeth while reading, and I even showered while reading. My favorite time to read now is at night while sitting in my hot tub. I read mysteries by women authors almost exclusively (Maeve Binchy being my one exception--a woman, but not a mystery writer). I have a long list of favorites, but my top tier would include Anne Perry, Ruth Rendell, Martha Grimes, M.C. Beaton, Elizabeth George, Minnette Walters, Sarah Rayne, Sue Grafton and Cynthia Harrod-Eagles.
I always recommend a particular series by Martha Grimes. Her better-known series, the Richard Jury mysteries, are contemporary police procedurals, but she has a small set of tales set in America, probably during the 40s or 50s, featuring very quirky characters where the mysteries are kind of secondary. These are books that I have read and re-read because the prose is so enjoyable and the descriptions are so evocative. You need to read them in order:
The End of the Pier
Hotel Paradise
Cold Flat Junction
Belle Ruin
I am ready to re-read the series. If anyone wants to start, let me know and we can read and discuss together.
Sadly I am not a reader. I am actually quite embarrassed of this fact. I guess it is never too late to start!
I actually just bought The Book Thief before seeing this post. I am assuming you enjoyed it so I am anxious to get started. I love reading. Every free moment I have I spend outside in our cute backyard and read in a shady lounge chair. Chris gets a little jealous and has been threatening a good ol' fashioned "book burning" for some time. I just finished The Host by Stephenie Meyers and I rally liked it. It was sort of SciFi, which I didn't think I enjoyed, but there was a lot of suspense and romance and actually a very sweet message.
Mysteries never sounded the least bit interesting, until I tried one!
Once when we were talking about books, Linda got me curious about the author M.C. Beaton. I checked out some audio books by this author and I couldn't wait to get in my car and drive somewhere! Hamish MacBeth is completely endearing and Agatha Raisin makes you smile while you're driving down the road.
I spend all day running a school library with approx 11,000 books and trying to convince 850 students that yes, they really do love to read.
There are 3 things I've discovered, at least with the junior high crowd:
1. Sometimes, genre doesn't matter. If an author "speaks to you", then a student will go looking for that same author again.
2. Sometimes, genre really does matter! Maybe a student doesn't enjoy reading because he has been required to read books in school that he absolutely hated! If a student has no interest in checking out books, but will say what he likes to do in his spare time, that is what the student aids and I pounce on! Is it working on cars? Then we grab a handful of Motor Trend/Hot Rod Magazines...and they almost always come back for more.
3. What one student, almost on the verge of tears says "never again in my whole life, will I EVER read a book as good as this one", another student will say, "it really sucked big-time"...both about the same book!
The book that got me hooked on reading was "Pippi Longstocking" in third grade. My favorite authors now are Thomas Hardy, Emily Bronte and Charles Dickens-how any human being could sit down and write like they did, will always be a mystery to me!
Rhonda
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